A new study published in the scientific journal Physiology and Behavior examined the effects of dehydration on drivers and discovered a shocking result – drivers who were dehydrated were just as dangerous and drivers who were drunk.
While this may seem like an outrageous claim, the study conducted by Loughborough University in the U.K. gathered significant evidence that showed that dehydrated drivers were more than twice as likely to make errors as drivers who were sufficiently hydrated. Each participant was put in a driving simulator for two hours of fairly monotonous driving that according to Yahoo Health included “bends, hard shoulders, rumble strips, and slow-moving vehicles that needed to be passed.”
When drivers made an errors including late or sharp braking, drifting in their lane, or touching the rumble strip, it was recorded as an “incident.” Over the course of the two hour test, properly hydrated drivers experienced 47 incidents on average while dehydrated drivers experienced an average of 101.
The increase in incidents is the same as you would see in drivers who have a blood-alcohol content of .08% or who are heavily sleep deprived. The really shocking part is that the dehydrated drivers hadn’t been without water for too long. The study was designed to test the effects of “mild dehydration,” and was conducted after 1 day of drinking 25% of what is recommended. Participants then took the test one hour after a “standard breakfast” where they drank only a few sips of water instead of a full glass.
In the conclusion of the study, the authors highly recommended that drivers always make sure that they are properly hydrated. Other sources noted that caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea won’t help, and that high-electrolyte drinks like coconut water are the best way to stay hydrated. So if coffee is the first drink you grab when hitting the road, consider getting a water to go along with it.
Next Story: Mandatory Hourly Driver Pay Proposed In Senate
Source: gobytrucknews, yahoo, sciencedirect, naturalsociety
Yep yep yep. Drink water, get out of the chair and walk around a bit. Drink a little more water. Handle anything else you need to. And then go up the road. Drive easy and smart. Don’t push too hard. Don’t eat big meals before a long trip. Yadda yadda yadda… Also, Don’t forget your helmet and crayons. XD
Coffee doesn’t help????? Wow, I have gone for weeks on nothing but coffee……how come I’m not dead?
I find that I can’t drive without a water bottle in reach. Habit has become an addiction. Water was cheaper than about any other beverage I could buy, and you can’t refill soda in a bathroom.
The problem is with driving older trucks in traffic without properly working ventilation.